The Goading of the LORD!
By the Watchman Dana G Smith
Keywords: LORD, Goad, teach, Instruct, man, nations, gentiles
Isaiah 48:17 Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.
Today it is hard for America and most nations to believe that outside of their own domain of learning and experience there is any higher power that actively is involved in man’s pursuits of life and pleasure. Man for the most part goes his own way, both to do wickedly and in many cases religiously as well. For even many religions seem to fall away from the Benevolence and care of a Loving God, one that is supreme which looks to the best interests of all his creation. In the manner and traditions we have seen in many religions including Christianity, bloodshed and hatred have been at the forefront.
Furthermore in today’s American society the troubles are hitting families and individuals from all sides. This is where we as a believer in the LORD Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of the true and living God needs to wake up and stay alert. Tuned if you will to what the Lord is trying to tell us. For the past is a good example of a method to learn by. We know about Israel and her wandering in the wilderness for 40 years until one stubborn generation was lost and the children were then grown and ready to enter the promised land. It was a lesson in prodding and goading. This was a tough lesson taught by a Holy God, who was going to teach the children of Israel the ways of righteousness. Of course, this generation was from the seed of Abraham and God promised him seed. It was part of a covenant, the LORD takes covenants seriously. He was going to ensure that they would be taught.
The trouble today is, we have a tough time with this God. We either sugar coat all he says and then erode righteousness and holy ways of discipleship before him which allows us to act and be anyway we want. After all, God is a loving God, he won’t do anything. That is why Jesus Died, so we can be stubborn, rebellious, doing our own thing, after all, he will forgive us, or so we reason. The truth is today, both the Church and society itself is filled with unrighteousness.
If in any case you don’t think God teaches or instructs man, let me regress a bit. The word above in Isaiah 48, which is ‘teaches’, means to instruct, train, prod. It is strong’s H3945 and points to the techniques used to teach a person. The ways God uses is through memorable events, techniques, or lessons. This word is lamad pronounced lah-mahd, and from this word comes the word Talmid or Talmud, the Book of Rabbinic learning.
teaches, teacheth, H3925:means to instruct, train, prod, goad, to “cause someone to learn”. This word is from the Hebrew lamad (lah-mahd);The origin of this verb scholars believe goes back to the goading of cattle. It is here the lesson learned can be traced, thus the teaching, instructing, & prodding, are attained through a great variety of goading through by memorable events, techniques or lessons. From this one Hebrew word comes Talmid (melammed), and Talmud, being interpreted as “scholar, student, and finally being the Book of Rabbinic Learning”. [source, word wealth, strong's H3945, pg 1025,Spirit filled life bible]
We also get a bigger picture when we realize that God is a big God, he is the ‘Governor among the nations.’ This verse which comes from Psalms 22,verse 28; also says the ‘kingdom is the LORDS’. This is the world, the nations, and all that is in them. The men and nations just think they own it all! In the end, everyone will answer to the Living LORD as to what they did during their time on earth. Further we read that because of the inhabitants who have transgressed Gods laws, changed ordinance, and broke from Gods everlasting covenant, there has been released a curse. This curse, says Isaiah will devour the earth, which will be by fire, which will burn the earth and few men will be left. If man ever needed to learn fast, now is the time! Unfortunately, man will not!. Some people will hear the LORD, turn from their ways, but many will not heed him at all! In fact they will rebel openly against God, just read Psalm two. They will follow a great deceiver because they have cast off the ‘love of the truth’, read this in 2 Thessalonians chapter two.
Isaiah 24:5 The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.
6 Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.
Because we are so apt to be as a horse or mule which have no understanding and need bits and bridles to be effective, so does mankind. Man left to his own will rebel against the Lord and fall headlong into Hades. The LORD, therefore, works to bring man to himself!
Psalms 32:8 I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.
9 Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.
10 Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about.
11 Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.
Today men do not really think, at least many act that way, that there is a God and if there is, he is deaf and does not hear. They also act as if he is blind and does not see! The plea from the Psalmist in Psalm 94 is, to ‘understand’, asking the question of the brutish and fools among the people, ‘when will you be wise?’ It is here we see it is God who chastises the nations, which here means Gentiles or heathen. God also chastised the Jewish nation as well, history proves that. It is the LORD who teaches knowledge to men. A knowledge that will bring men to the ‘fear of the LORD’. This fear is one that finally brings understanding to men that there is a God and one day they will have to face him. Thus with this understanding in its fullest form, with the Holy Spirit moving on the hearts of people, they see their need to change how they live. Thus comes heartfelt repentance and come to God. All this comes about when men realize they are sinners, in trouble, and need to repent. This is the fear of the LORD, it changes actions in people. Of course there are many who simply ignore this and follow stubborn and rebellious ways, just as many in Israel did. For this, those were lost to perdition! After all, God gives man a choice. But in man’s best interest both for those wicked and those righteous, God moves to prod, challenge, goad, and led men and women to ‘true knowledge’ and ‘repentance’.
Psalms 94:8 Understand, ye brutish among the people: and ye fools, when will ye be wise?
9 He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see?
10 He that chastiseth the nations (Gentiles, heathen), shall not he correct? he that teacheth man knowledge, shall not he know?
This same psalmist says the man who is chastised by the LORD is actually blessed. Why? Because as the book of Hebrews says “no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous”. But we all know it does us better in the end. For this God is a Father to all, but only a few are obedient to his call. Make no mistake the times we are in now and those coming is a time when the LORD is teaching all nations who he is. At the same time, he is bringing men and women to a ‘true knowledge’ of their situation and what they need to do! God is goading and prodding everyone, both men and nations, bringing them along following both his Word which prophetically will be fulfilled and bring people individually to a place of repentance as well.
Hebrews 12:5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
Hebrews 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
Psalms 94:12 ¶Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of thy law;
13 That thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit be digged for the wicked.
14 For the LORD will not cast off his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance.
Moreover, this God will teach you, me, and the nations, what the ‘true knowledge is’. It is not man’s ability nor his technology! It is not anything that is of man, earth, or Lucifer himself. It is a knowledge that was before creation itself. Jesus said it well for he told all people what the truth is, what the true way is, and finally what the life is about! Read John 14:6 where Jesus said: “I am the Way, the Truth, and the LIFE, no man comes to the Father, but by me.”
Finally, recognize these are the times we all call the ‘end of the end times’, the ‘times of shaking’, and events that shape worlds, nations, kings, and peoples are going on! It is out of the control of all on earth, the nations of men! It is in the hands of the LORD God. Those who have true knowledge, who know HIM, and walk in HIM, the LORD, will be and can be given rest from the days of adversity. Yes, we may go through many troubles, here, but we will enter a rest one day! While here, This God will take care of His Own, he will not forsake them! Along the way, though, be assured this God will continue to lead, goad, prod, instruct, and teach you HIS Ways! Be Sure, the LORD is indeed the Governor of the nations, the ONE who is in charge!